Airforce 'Heavy' Crash Recovery Cranes
 

G'day all.

Are there any post war heavy crash recovery cranes still extant out there. I'm talking about those cranes that have been released from military service and are now in private hands, scrap yards or abandoned.

There is one ex Royal Australian Air Force (R.A.A.F) heavy crash recovery crane located here in Perth, WA.

It is a Le Tourneau 50 ton SC-10 and was last used by R.A.A.F Pearce, Western Australia.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q.../Project14.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q.../Project15.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q.../Project17.jpg

cranes
 

This one is in Coober Pedy , attached to a US6 studebaker, these cranes were usually fitted to C60x or gmc cckw.
Airfield salvage cranes.
Jim S.

Cranes
 

This picture is from the book "Restore to Service" by Walter Venn.
Jim S

G'day Jim

The Le Tourneau is just up the road from you, next to Bristiles.

There used to be a similar crane - as the one from Coober Pedy - in the TNT yard on Leach Hwy, Kewdale a number of years ago. From memory it had a Bedford truck under it. It was used to lift shipping containers. Have you any idea where that one went?

The book 'Restore to Service'..is it about salvage and repair units and where can I get a copy.

Tommy K

Restore to service
 

Tommy , I obtained my copy from the War Book Shop in NSW.
www.warbooks.com.au
I can't recall seeing any salvage cranes in W A , saw another one in a scrap yard in Coober Pedy.
Jim S.

The RAAF if I remember correctly bought quite a few of the LT 50 ton cranes.

However their prime purpose could not be achieved, because our Prime lift, the C130 Hercules could not be lifted high enough. Seems like someone forgot to check the Lockheed drawings of the sling and its apex was too hign.

The air force lost one at Butterworth, when a fuel blockage stalled the crane whilst the tyde was out, and it was almost completely submerged. Totally ruined the electric wheels and engine.

The boom of this crane was treated and shipped to Darwin, to replace the boom on its crane, which had the support stays buckled, when a load slipped in it.

The crane was designed to be remotely driven by a long lead and control box.

They really were a bit of a fizzer and never did any real work. The dozer blade on the front was designed to push crashed aircraft of the strip.

Regards

Col Tigwell

A wartime photo:

http://cas.awm.gov.au/screen_img/P02666.007
source: http://www.hcvc.com.au/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1264161200/20

Another survivor:

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps7b4a70c0.jpg

source:http://www.warbirdz.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2194

G_Mendes

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